Echo Canyon, UT

Today Interstate 80 carves its way through the sandstone cliffs alongside the Union Pacific mainline, but before the road and railroad this was a route for the Pony Express, until the telegraph was installed. The settlement of Echo has a recorded population of just 56, and is now a junction where I-84 leaves I-80 for Ogden, whilst I-80 heads towards Salt lake City. On the railroad it is a gruelling climb up from Ogden which tests motive power to the limit. It was because of these gradients that the UP introduced the famous "Big Boy" articulated locomotives to handle heavy tonnage over the Wahsatch Mountains, and in 2019 "Big Boy" no. 4014 reacquainted itself with the route after an absence of over 60 years. Sadly I was not there to witness it, but even so, the sight of trains against the high sandstone cliffs as they either ascend or descend the route is worth suffering the blistering heat of the high summer sun!